Atlanta World Cup Matchday Guide: MARTA, Fan Festival, and Next Fixtures

If you are reaching Atlanta after June 19, the city is past its first two matches but still has the part of the schedule most traveling fans plan around: another Spain group match, late-June group games, a July 1 knockout slot, a July 7 knockout slot, and the July 15 semifinal. FIFA and the local host committee list all Atlanta matches at Atlanta Stadium, the tournament name for Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the host committee says gates open three hours before each match. 1

All times below are shown in UTC, which is the channel display timezone. Atlanta is four hours behind UTC during the tournament, so subtract four hours when you are on the ground.

Fast plan for Atlanta fans

Decision	Best move	Why it matters
Stadium arrival	Use MARTA rail if you can, then walk from GWCC/CNN Center, Vine City, Five Points, or Peachtree Center. 2	The stadium sits in downtown Atlanta, and the official transport pages put multiple MARTA stations within walking distance.
Fan Festival	Register before going to Centennial Olympic Park; general admission is free, but advance registration is required and entry is capacity-limited. 3	Do not treat the park like a walk-up public screen on high-demand match days.
Airport transfer	ATL connects to downtown by MARTA rail, and the host committee describes downtown as about 20 minutes from the airport by rail. 4	This is one of the easier host cities for fans who land and go straight downtown.
Between-match base	Stay downtown if your priority is the stadium, Fan Festival, aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and College Football Hall of Fame. 4	It reduces cross-town trips on days when roads and rideshare zones are busy.
Bag and payment habits	Keep bags clear for the Fan Festival, bring a valid ID, and expect the festival to operate cashless. 3	Security queues are easier when your group follows the same rules before leaving the hotel.

Remaining Atlanta Stadium fixtures

The first two Atlanta matches, Spain vs. Cabo Verde on June 15 and Czechia vs. South Africa on June 18, are already behind us. Here is what remains from June 19 onward.

Date	Match	Kickoff in UTC	Gates open in UTC	Fan note
June 21	Spain vs. Saudi Arabia	16:00	13:00	A second Spain match in Atlanta, with the earliest match window of the day. 1
June 24	Morocco vs. Haiti	22:00	19:00	Good fit for a Fan Festival afternoon first, then a stadium move. 1
June 27	Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan	23:30	20:30	The latest remaining group-stage kickoff in Atlanta. 1
July 1	1L vs. 3E/H/I/J/K	16:00	13:00	Knockout opponent names are still bracket-dependent. 1
July 7	W86 vs. W88	16:00	13:00	One of the high-demand July fixtures; plan rail and entry timing early. 1
July 15	W99 vs. W100	19:00	16:00	Atlanta's semifinal date. 1

Aerial view of Atlanta Stadium with an open roof and a soccer field — Atlanta Stadium is a downtown, 75,000-plus-capacity venue scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including a semifinal. 5

Getting to the stadium without fighting downtown traffic

For most fans, the simplest stadium plan is rail first, walking second. FIFA's stadium transport page names Peachtree Center, Vine City, GWCC/CNN Center, and Five Points as MARTA stations within walking distance of the venue. 2 The host committee's travel page adds the practical neighborhood view: GWCC/CNN Center on the Blue/Green Line is the closest stop, Vine City is also by the stadium, Five Points is the central transfer hub, and Peachtree Center is useful for downtown hotels and Centennial Olympic Park. 4

MARTA World Cup route map for Atlanta fans — MARTA's World Cup page provides a dedicated fan map for rail trips to the stadium and fan areas. 6

If you are coming from the airport, start with Airport Station on the Red/Gold Line, then transfer as needed at Five Points for the Blue/Green Line toward the stadium. 4 If you are leaving by rideshare, FIFA lists designated rideshare access on Broad Street between Trinity Avenue and Mitchell Street, with access to stadium entrances 1 and 2. 2 Mercedes-Benz Stadium's own transport page lists two rideshare zones: GWCC Bus Lane C and South Downtown on Broad Street between Trinity and Mitchell. 7

Driving is the backup plan, not the default. The stadium page sells event parking and warns fans to use caution when buying parking passes from secondary resale markets. 7 If you do drive, book official parking before match day and expect downtown streets near the stadium, State Farm Arena, Centennial Olympic Park, and the convention district to feel compressed.

Fan Festival: Centennial Olympic Park is the public hub

Atlanta's FIFA Fan Festival is at Centennial Olympic Park. The official page says general admission is free, family-friendly, and open to everyone, but advance registration is required for all visitors. Entry is first-come, first-served and subject to capacity, and visitors receive a QR code or wristband after signing up. 3

Illustrated overview of the Atlanta FIFA Fan Festival layout — The official Atlanta Fan Festival overview shows the Centennial Olympic Park setup for screens, entertainment, and hospitality areas. 3

For the next few days on the published schedule, the festival lists June 19 from 17:30 to 03:30 UTC, June 20 from 16:00 to 02:00 UTC, June 21 from 14:00 to 00:00 UTC, June 24 from 17:00 to 03:00 UTC, June 26 from 17:00 to 03:00 UTC, and June 27 from 18:00 to 04:00 UTC. 3 Those windows may shift with weather or operations; the page had a weather update for June 18 saying the festival would run a shortened day, with no guest entry after 18:00 UTC. 3

The practical checklist is simple:

Register everyone in your group before leaving for the park; children under 2 are the listed exception to the registration-ticket requirement. 3
Bring the digital QR code, a valid ID, and a clear bag. 3
Bring a clear, empty reusable water bottle or a factory-sealed bottle without a label; the FAQ lists four refill-station areas inside the park. 3
Expect cashless purchases, food vendors, alcohol sales for legal-age guests, and security checkpoints. 3

What to do between matches

Downtown is the low-friction first choice. The host committee points fans from the stadium area to Centennial Olympic Park, Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the College Football Hall of Fame. 4 That cluster is especially useful if your day combines a Fan Festival screening and a stadium kickoff.

For a longer walk-and-eat day, the Atlanta Beltline is building World Cup visitor guidance around trails, public art, food, parks, and watch-party activity. Its FIFA page says the Beltline will connect fans with watch parties, performances, pop-up markets, and family-friendly celebrations, and its events page describes more than 16 miles of continuous trails connected to shops, restaurants, local markets, parks, and greenspace. 8 9

If you want a more traditional visitor list, Discover Atlanta's city guide is the broad hub. It surfaces World Cup-specific stories, Atlanta weekend events, Decatur WatchFest, the 2026 FIFA World Cup event listing through July 15, and neighborhood visitor information. 10

Day-of checklist

Check the fixture and gate time first. Gates open three hours before each Atlanta match, and the remaining schedule has both afternoon and evening arrivals in UTC. 1
Pick your MARTA station before you board. GWCC/CNN Center and Vine City are stadium-focused; Five Points is better when you need transfers; Peachtree Center helps if you are combining downtown hotels, attractions, and the Fan Festival. 4
Register for the Fan Festival before you arrive. Free entry does not mean unregistered entry. 3
Keep the group light. Clear bag, QR code, ID, phone battery, water bottle, and a return-transit plan are more useful than extra gear. 3
Watch weather alerts. Atlanta summer storms can change outdoor festival operations quickly; the official Fan Festival page already posted a shortened-day weather notice on June 18. 3

Atlanta's best matchday rhythm is compact: rail into downtown, choose either stadium-first or Fan-Festival-first, and keep the Beltline or a downtown attraction as your flex plan if weather or crowds change the day.